World Sparrow Day

World Sparrow Day is observed on March 20. Sparrow also known as House Sparrow (passer domesticus) is a bird of sparrow family. There are 26 species of sparrows worldwide out of which five of them are found in India. The species found in India are House Sparrow, Sind Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Russet Sparrow, and Eurasian Tree Sparrow. They have a life span of three years.

Along with being a part of our environment sparrows are of immense importance for our ecosystem, but in the recent times we can see a declining trend in their population due to loss of habitat, absence of native plants, widespread use of concrete, modern grocery storage, higher little index etc. are the primary cause for the decline in the population of sparrows in various parts of India.

History:

The first World Sparrow Day was celebrated on March 20, 2010. In India, The Nature Forever Society started the initiative of celebrating World Sparrow Day, emphasising on the importance of saving house sparrows and other common birds. The Nature Forever Society was founded by Mohammed Dilawar, an Indian conservationist. He started his work with nature by helping the house sparrows and taking up initiatives to save their population in Nasik.

Significance:

The gradual decline in the population of sparrows is harmful for the ecosystem. The day aims to raise awareness about the importance of these birds for biodiversity and our environment. The best way to spend the day is by educating ourselves about the various initiatives that we can take up to ensure that the population of sparrows sees a steep increase. We should also consciously make efforts to broaden conservation efforts to safeguard their population.